House Bill Would Fast-Track FERC Approval of National Security Pipelines
A new House bill would allow the president to designate certain interstate oil and natural gas pipelines as critical to national security, triggering expedited FERC reviews and limiting state permitting authority.
(P&GJ) — Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Calif., has introduced legislation that would establish an expedited federal permitting process for interstate oil and natural gas pipelines deemed critical to U.S. national security.
The National Security Interstate Pipeline Act (H.R. 9838) would allow the president to designate qualifying pipeline projects as essential to supplying energy for military installations, the defense industrial base or other critical infrastructure. Projects receiving the designation would fall under the exclusive permitting authority of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), with the agency required to issue a decision within 180 days of receiving an application.
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The legislation would also preempt state and local permitting requirements that could delay or block designated projects. Any legal challenges filed under the measure would be heard exclusively by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
Calvert said the bill is intended to improve energy reliability for critical facilities and address barriers to developing interstate pipeline infrastructure.
"The National Security Interstate Pipeline Act will ensure California and other states can be connected to energy-producing regions and keep oil and gas flowing to the critical national security facilities that depend on them," Calvert said.
According to the congressman, California currently has no interstate pipelines connecting it to the broader U.S. oil supply network. His office also cited declining in-state oil production, increased reliance on imported crude and reduced refining capacity as reasons for the legislation.
The bill notes that California produced about 257,000 bpd of oil in 2025, while foreign sources supplied 63% of the crude processed by the state's refineries in 2024. It also states that California's refining capacity has declined by approximately 30% over the past five years.
Original co-sponsors include Reps. Vince Fong, James Gallagher, Darrell Issa, Nathaniel Moran, Jefferson Shreve, Dale Strong and David Valadao.